Sirotablog

David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.

  • June 10, 2008 10:00 AM

    States and gas (guest post)

    While we're on hot-button issues, how about $4/gal. gas?

    Over at my place of employ, the Progressive States Network, we just posted on smart energy policies that states can use to provide relief at the pump while fueling their economies.

    The most innovative proposal? "Pay-as-you-go" car insurance to incentivize less driving. The most controversial? Increasing the gas tax. That's right, increasing.

    Check it out.

    Posted by Austin Guest
    Permalink | Comments (5) | del.icio.us | digg

Discussion

  • JumperPin [TypeKey Profile Page] :


    We've been around and around and around this block since the 70's. The greed of oil trusts, allied with populist (sorry, folx/Dave) cumulative sentiment for cheap (hydro)carbons, has paved the way for this disaster.

    Apparently, we're more comfortable with Exxon's avarice than with any form of political leadership (carbon tax) to curb our appetite for cheap gas.

    My favorite, and almost politically feasible prescription, is some form of a flex tax. For example, as pump prices might want to return to

    Gradual inevitability and predictability would help/ensure competing technologies.

    Our existing "market price" non-policy courts a Soylent Green script.

    Posted on June 10, 2008 3:58 PM
  • JumperPin [TypeKey Profile Page] :


    (what happened to my 3rd paragraph?)

    My favorite, and almost politically feasible prescription, is some form of a flex tax. For example, as pump prices might want to return to under 3.00 (now considered likely), a flex tax would kick in to keep pump price at maybe 3.50. Annually, some 0.20 would be added to the final targeted pump price.

    Posted on June 10, 2008 4:08 PM
  • JWVerez [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    If you want less costly gas, why not push for removing the ban on Cannabis and allowing hemp's 26000 industrial uses including hemp for fuel into the market. Do a google search on

    hemp "rudolph diesel" "henry ford"

    What you will learn from this can not only be shocking but also outrageous.

    FDR and the Democrats caving in to Big Oil back in the 1930s first with the overtaxation of Cannabis followed by Nixon's creation of the DEA to keep it banned should have been a wake up call for the progressives. Your complaining about high gas prices is useless without even mentioning one word about hemp. Next time, please do your homework and research thoroughly.

    Posted on June 11, 2008 4:55 PM
  • Austin Guest [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Hemp fuel sounds like a good idea. I'm always for efficient biofuels. I'd need to hear some arguments about sound strategies for how to legitimize and popularize hemp's use in mainstream commercial markets, but other than that it seems like a perfectly sound proposal.

    Posted on June 12, 2008 9:36 AM
  • JWVerez [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Hi Austin,

    On the issue of reframing Cannabis. First of all, don't use the "pot frame" to make your case. Focusing only on on type of Cannabis, marijuana, is how the social cons and vested business interests won. Second, Ron Paul, despite his very wacky libertarian attitude, has a lot to say on his push for the Hemp Farm act.

    www.votehemp.com is a good place to start looking.

    P.S.: The ideas you gave would go a long way's to reducing rampant traffic congestion which very badly needs to be done.

    Posted on June 12, 2008 12:36 PM

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